


Spring Tides

by Xenobia



Series: Merfolk of the Atlantic [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha!Erwin, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Explicit Sexual Content, Fingering, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Non-Human Genitalia, Omega!Levi, Omegaverse, One Shot, Pirates, Romantic Soulmates, merfolk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-11 00:07:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15960485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: Erwin never participates in the mating frenzy that takes place each year for the Mermen of the Pearl Grotto. Unwilling to settle for anything less than a mate that turns his world upside down, he harbors doubts that he'll ever find his omega match. His resolve is put to the test when he happens upon a particular omega in heat; the exotic newcomer named Levi who joined their society after losing his own small nomadic pod to a red tide plague. Ironically, Levi is the only omega that sets a spark of interest in Erwin, and it seems the wheel of fate has just taken an unexpected turn.





	Spring Tides

**Author's Note:**

> I had this one sitting in my AoT Omegaverse folder, nearly finished and forgotten. I decided to complete it and upload it, because I like the concept of it and how it turned out. In fact, I like it so much that the plot bunnies are already cooking up a follow-up story that could end up being a long, multichapter piece. I hope people enjoy it!

Erwin wondered why they called it "spawning season". After all, the term by definition referred to marine life laying and fertilizing eggs, but that wasn't how reproduction worked for the mermen of the Atlantic. Like dolphin and other aquatic mammals, they gave live birth. The alphas impregnated receptive omegas through direct intercourse, therefore in his mind, "mating season" would have been a more appropriate term. However, merfolk of all sorts around the world used the term "spawning season" for as long as anyone could recall.

There were no females in Erwin's subgroup. Instead, there were two varieties of male; alphas like himself were bigger and generally stronger than their omega counterparts. The omegas were biologically the same in appearance as other mermen, but for the second slit beneath their genital pockets, called the vestibule. These delicate, sensitive slits were their secondary, internal genitals...where the alpha penis was inserted during mating. The vestibule connected to the omega's womb, and their young passed through it when they gave birth.

There were other pods of merfolk in the Atlantic, of course. One of them was a beta pod of males and females. There was another alpha/omega pod to the west comprised of only females. One interesting thing about their species as a whole was that merfolk from different subgroups couldn't reproduce with each other. Betas could only breed with other betas, while alphas and omegas could only reproduce with each other. Their biology was compatible for sex, but not propagation.

Erwin drifted over the ocean floor, his tail lazily flicked, stirring the water and propelling his leisurely pace. He was deep in thought about his people, their society and the laws that governed them. The mermen of the Pearl Grotto were a fairly laid back bunch compared to some pods. They had no restrictions on going to the surface. It was the pod's belief that each merman was free to go where he chose, when he chose, but should his ventures endanger him, he wasn't to bring it back to their grotto. Putting the pod at jeopardy was unacceptable and grounds for banishment. So far as Erwin could remember, only two of their brothers had been exiled for such an offense.

The choice to have offspring or not was also left up to each individual. The care and protection of children was a shared responsibility in their community. Every adult took the time to teach and nurture the young, regardless of whether they'd spawned them or not. In essence, they were a big family.

While their society was relaxed about reproduction, Erwin sometimes longed to pair up and produce young. He'd had his dalliances of course, but he'd never felt a connection with any of his partners beyond physical pleasure. He supposed he could just pick someone to mate with and be content with that, but he was a merman that dreamed large and had high standards. He wouldn't give his heart and soul to another unless he felt that connection. Instead, he gave his heart to his people and because of that devotion, the Pearl Grotto boasted the most skilled and disciplined warriors in the Atlantic ocean.

Pity the pool of prospective mates was so small, though. While Erwin's pod was larger than some other alpha/omega pods, there was still a limited selection of available omegas. He'd grown up with them all, and he thought of them as his brothers.

Seeking out a private sea cave with one of them now and then for some pleasurable moments during infertile periods was all well and good, but he didn't feel like he could commit to any of them as a permanent partner. Therefore, he didn't participate in spawning season customs, didn't visit the spawning grounds for what was essentially a mass orgy for young, unmated mermen to couple up and possibly find their match. This time of year was the ideal time to find a mate. Ruts and heats happened much more frequently during the spring, especially in the peak of the season.

As Erwin passed by a large school of multicolored fish and over the waving fronds of a giant anemone, he mentally reviewed his prospects. He did feel a sense of obligation to provide offspring to his pod, and he also harbored a desire to become a parent some day. He just needed to find the right omega to achieve that end.

There was one omega that Erwin _did_ feel drawn to, one that he felt he _could_ connect with on a spiritual level with if he could only find the courage to court him. The small one. The foreigner that had joined their community after his small, nomadic pod died tragically. They'd traveled through contaminated waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Levi was the only survivor. He'd watched his family die one by one as illness claimed them. They'd left the gulf as soon as they realized the red tide blanketing the area was toxic to them, but it was too late for most of them to fight off the poisons.

Levi had wandered into Erwin's territory, sick and feverish with infection. Mike—Erwin's best friend and captain of the guard—had found the small, pale omega at their borders. He could have rejected him and denied him passage, but he'd taken pity on him instead and brought him to the grotto for healing. Levi recovered with care and time, and when he told King Zackly his story, he was invited to live in the grotto and become one of them.

Levi accepted, but he was moody and withdrawn, keeping mostly to himself. People left him alone out of respect for his grief, but nothing had changed in the months since he joined. He pushed away anyone that tried to befriend him, and any alphas that tried to court him received a glare that would have scared off a shark. The general consensus was that the exotic, black-haired omega was antisocial and possibly infertile. Why else would he reject every attempt to befriend or court him? It was every omega's right to reject a suitor, but most of them were kinder about it than Levi.

Hardly aware of where he was going, Erwin remained deep in thought. He realized at last that his path was taking him to the spawning grounds, and he stopped and hesitated. He could go there. He could at least enjoy some physical time with another...maybe even find that connection he'd been quietly hoping for.

The blond shook his head at the notion. If he ever did find a match, he didn't want it to happen amidst a mass mating frenzy. Sometimes, he wondered if nature had made a mistake with him. Some of his people's customs felt alien to him. He never quite felt like he belonged. A scent wafted to him on the currents, and he stopped short. Omega pheromones. Somewhere nearby, there was an omega in heat. Since Erwin was near the spawning grounds, it was possible that he was picking up on the scent of someone coming or going from the area. Driven as much by curiosity as natural instinct, he began to seek out the source of the scent.

* * *

Levi was doing the equivalent of panting, the slit of gills on the sides of his neck expanding and contracting rapidly. He could feel the temperature of the water around him heating, and soon he would need to move again to get to a cooler spot. He'd considered staying in his grotto dwelling when it started, but without relief from his condition, he would have just heated up the small space quickly and had to vacate anyway. At least out here, he could swim from spot to spot and find some comfort in lower temperatures.

He realized his error when the tidal currents carried whiffs of mixed alpha and omega mating pheromones to him from the mating pools. It made things worse, but now Levi was too fatigued from fighting his mating needs to swim back home. A chance encounter with a passing shark, orca or octopus on the hunt could end badly for him. Normally Levi could dispatch threats with his spear and his wits, but he lacked the muscle strength now to fight off any attackers.

Several times already, other mermen passing by on the way to and from the spawning grounds prompted Levi to crowd deeper into the shadows, even when they were omegas. He didn't want to talk to anyone, least of all an alpha. He had no reason to distrust the mermen of Pearl Grotto, but he was raised under a different lifestyle than they were. It was in his nature to be wary of merfolk that he didn't grow up around. There was at least one merman in this pod that Levi found himself relating to, but he didn't know how to open up to him more. Since birth, the only family Levi had ever known was his nomadic pod, and they were the only ones he'd trusted. They were gone now, and his loneliness was crushing.

Thinking of the man Levi had secretly grown rather fond of made his condition flare up worse. He groaned, the sound coming out as an odd gurgle in the depths. His groin was exposed, his cock having popped out of its protective pouch over an hour ago when his arousal peaked. Levi spoke a name in the oceanic tongue, his mersong sounding out almost mournfully.

"Erwin..."

In that moment, something strange, wonderful and ultimately frightening happened. As if summoned by his cry, the person of his focus made an appearance. At first Levi thought that his mating delirium was causing him to imagine that familiar, musky scent. The shadow falling over him prompted the ailing omega to lift his head off the ocean floor and look up. Prepared to drive off an unwanted advance with a scalding threat—or even the spear lying close by if necessary—his vocal chords locked up upon seeing proof that his sense of smell wasn't deceiving him.

"Erwin," he said again, more firmly. Levi swallowed, his gills going flat as his breath stopped for a moment. By the tides, Erwin was beautiful. He floated before Levi, handsome and resplendent with his rippling muscles, golden hair and eyes as blue as the Atlantic. Levi had thought Erwin's eyebrows were too thick at first, but it didn't take long for him to decide they perfectly accented Erwin's chiseled good looks. Erwin's narrow hips tapered off into a long, shining tail that was almost serpentine in structure, but for the fins decorating the spine and the caudal fin at the tip. Erwin's scales were golden, fading to silver at the fins.

To Levi, he looked like an aquatic god of legend. His blond hair, kept in an undercut like Levi's but parted a different way, stirred in the current. He was too perfect...too glorious. Levi turned away from him, trying to hide his exposed arousal.

"What do you want?" Levi demanded ungraciously. "Heading for the spawning grounds, or what?"

"No, I'm not going to the spawning grounds," came the low answer. "I came for you."

Levi groaned again, closing his eyes. "For me? What does that mean?"

"One of my fellow warriors mentioned spotting you. I just wanted to see if you need assistance."

That prompted Levi to twist back around and look up at the blond. He kept his hips turned to block the view of his groin. Just looking at Erwin made his cock throb and his insides ache. "I'm fine, but you should keep your distance. I'm in heat."

"I know."

Erwin's tail uncoiled, and he gave a flick of it to bring him closer. When Levi cringed away, Erwin hesitated. "Levi, it's all right. I won't lay a hand on you without your consent. I just don't think you should be out here by yourself in this condition."

"I can...take care of myself." Levi ran his tongue over his lips, though it wasn't possible for them to be as dry as they felt underwater like this. "Please...just leave."

Erwin's expression softened, becoming so gentle and compassionate that it was startling.

"I can't."

Levi gritted his teeth. "What do you mean, you can't? I don't see any seaweed entangling you. I don't see a fishing net keeping you from going anywhere."

Erwin bowed his head, and he smiled. He lifted his gaze again to meet Levi's eyes again, and his gills opened wide. His nostrils flared, and the pouch concealing his genitals started to bulge out. "I can't leave," he said, "because I care about you. I feel protective of you. Let me serve you."

Floored by the admission, Levi fought inwardly with himself. His body was urging him to act on his needs. If he did, however, there might not be any turning back. His spirit had recognized this merman as his mate, but Levi couldn't bring himself to say so out loud.

"Levi." The name was spoken like a poem, or so it seemed to Levi's ears. Erwin reached out, and Levi flinched as the alpha's big fingers caressed his face. "Let me help you. That's all I ask."

Levi's pulse pounded in his veins. His body got even hotter, and his brows forked with angst. He was...so lonely. Erwin's touch felt so wonderful. His skin tingled from the contact, and Levi stared into the bigger male's eyes with an intensity born of desperate lust.

"Erwin...you want to help me?" He clenched his teeth, sharp canines glistening in the muted light filtering through the water from the surface above. He turned fully around to face Erwin, putting himself on display. As an omega, his tail wasn't as long and sinuous as Erwin's. Levi's fit the traditional ideal of mer-lore, as did all omega types. Black with silver fins, it had silver specks throughout the scales.

Erwin wasn't looking at Levi's tail, though. He was staring straight at the omega's pink-flushed, erect cock. "Yes," answered the blond. His mersong was deep and resonant, full of desire. "I want to help you."

Levi made his decision, though he feared it was a reckless one. His mating urges were too strong to ignore now, though. If there was one alpha in this colony that he could see himself with, it was Erwin.

"Let's go somewhere private together," suggested Levi, "somewhere out of the travel path of other mermen. Somewhere secluded."

Erwin's gaze left the omega's groin, meeting his. The alpha looked at him assessingly, clearly thinking things through. He was being careful, this one. He wasn't making advances on Levi as the others had. He regarded Levi in such a way that one might do with a wild creature, like he was afraid he would frighten him off if he touched him too quickly.

Perhaps he would. Truth be told, Levi was afraid. The only thing that kept him from driving Erwin away or fleeing himself was this powerful need he felt, and his attraction to the blond.

"Are you sure?" By the look in his eyes, Erwin had caught on to what Levi was suggesting. There was a wary eagerness in his expression, subtle but definitely there.

Levi gave a nod, ignoring the thrill of fear that went through him. This was it. He could feel it. If he went through with this, it wouldn't be just a quick, gratifying encounter. This was probably going to end with a pair bond and several months from now, offspring.

He didn't want to be alone anymore, though.

Erwin reached out for Levi, and he paused when the omega instinctively tensed and made as if he was about to retreat from him. "It's all right, Levi. It's okay. Everything that happens from here on out is up to you. I'll follow your lead."

Levi stared up at him. Erwin was so big. He wondered if the two of them were even physically compatible for mating. He could see the tip of the alpha's growing arousal poking out of the groin slit in his pelvic area, and Levi nearly gulped. Just that teasing little bit alone seemed huge to him. A pun sprang to mind, something he would have said on any other occasion if he weren't feeling so nervous. His insides throbbed unbearably, tingling and tickling, demanding to be filled.

_~So is that a sea snake in your pocket?~_

Levi pushed his sarcastic thoughts aside, and he reached for the blond's offered hand. It was warm and reassuring in his grip, practically engulfing Levi's smaller hand. Erwin coaxed him out of the little indent beneath the rock shelf, eyes locked with his. Once they floated face to face in the water, hands still clasped, the alpha looked around at their surroundings.

"I know of a kelp forest not far from here," suggested Erwin. He met Levi's eyes again. "You're absolutely sure? This is the last time I'll ask."

Levi's heart fluttered. The amount of respect this alpha was showing him was frankly disorienting to him, especially since he knew Erwin was reacting to his scent as any alpha would.

"I'm sure."

* * *

Erwin was feeling it too; that strange certainty in his heart and soul that this was the one. Hadn't he just been pondering the unlikelihood of finding a mate in his own pod? And yet, ironically, the moment Levi accepted him and suggested they go somewhere private, it was as if a barrier had dropped between them. What had been admiration from afar and a quiet interest in this raven-haired omega was now something much, much stronger. Now he understood what it was that his brothers and sisters of the sea felt when they knew they'd found their match. Now he knew.

As Erwin gazed into Levi's pewter, hooded eyes, he restrained himself. He had to be careful. He could be misunderstanding what was being offered. He could sense the fear in the smaller male. He could smell it; a subtle note of disquiet beneath the gloriously sweet scent of Levi's mating pheromones.

"Come," he urged gently. "We'll follow the current to the southwest. I know the way. Nobody will disturb us, and there's even a spit of land up above if you want to spend some time on the surface."

Levi's eyes widened briefly. Erwin could understand that, given that sealing a pair-bond required a little time out of the water. He didn't try to excuse his suggestion, didn't try to pretend that bonding with Levi wasn't exactly what he had in mind. He wanted to make himself perfectly clear. There was no hesitation now, no doubt. This was meant to be, and Erwin suspected by the softening of his companion's normally spear-sharp gaze that Levi felt the same.

"That sounds good to me," said the omega softly. "Lead the way."

Erwin checked a sigh of relief. So far, so good. Once they were mated, he should have an easier time reading this exotic merman. He didn't want to say that the act of mating would "tame" Levi's wild spirit, but it would certainly seal a bond between them that might make Levi a bit less skittish.

As Erwin led his companion along with him over sea canyons, underwater coral beds and even a small pod of dolphins, he could tell the smaller male's tension was rising by the moment. He couldn't be sure if it was due to sexual need or wavering conviction in his decision. Erwin did his best to hurry it along, and though Levi didn't have the fin size for propulsion that Erwin did, he was quite a fast swimmer. In fact, he started to overtake the blond, and Erwin took that as a sign that his tension was born of eagerness more than doubt.

"Slow down," Erwin chuckled, his arm outstretched and his hand still entwined with Levi's. "You'll wear me out before we can get there." Not to mention, Levi would wear _himself_ out at this rate. The weakness that came with a heat ordinarily wouldn't allow an omega to swim this swiftly, but Levi seemed to defy the norm.

"It hurts," Levi responded, glancing back at Erwin with a frown.

Erwin's amusement faded in sympathy. He could feel the beginnings of a rut coming on, and he was now as swollen and exposed down there as his intended partner. "I know. We're nearly there. Try to conserve your energy and let the current carry us."

Levi stopped tugging on Erwin's hand, and his pace slowed. His gills were fluttering rapidly, chest rising and falling at a high tempo. His scent drifted around them, and Erwin's alpha scent grew stronger and mingled with it. The two pheromone trails merged together, just as Erwin hoped he and Levi's bodies soon would.

Eventually they made it to the thick kelp forest. Erwin guided Levi through it by memory, weaving between the waving vines of vegetation in search of the clearing he'd come across the last time. He found it after a few moments; a small patch of rock-strewn ocean floor surrounded by the curtains of plant life. The chances of anyone happening upon them here were slim.

Erwin turned to face Levi, and he nodded at the rise of the ocean floor off to the west, visible above the waving kelp. "You see that? It's the base of the island I mentioned. Shall we go now, or do you want to wait?"

Levi's fair complexion was painted with a flush of heat, and his eyes were bright with need. Practically glowing, in fact. The refracted beams of sunlight coming from above the surface cast uneven lines of illumination on Levi's body, making him look almost surreal to Erwin. Stunning. Just...stunning.

"I can't wait," Levi said, brows pinching. The warmth coming from him was raising the temperature of the water around them. Levi pulled his hand out of Erwin's. He reached out with both hands, hesitated a moment, and then placed his palms on Erwin's chest. He stroked them over the pectorals, his gaze dropping to examine Erwin's form with awe.

"Each time I see you," said the omega, "I hope you'll make an advance. That's what I...what I've been thinking to myself since this started. Now you have, and...I just can't wait."

Levi's hands traveled lower, and he traced the line of Erwin's pelvis where the skin hardened into smooth, golden scales. Levi looked up at the alpha again, and one trembling hand curled around the bigger merman's jutting arousal.

"So big," commented Levi in what passed for a moan underwater. "I'm so...fucking...Erwin..."

No more needed to be said, and Erwin's thread of control was snapping. His body heat rose to match the temperature of Levi's, and the heady mixture of their pheromones blanketed them both. Erwin put his hands on Levi's waist, dragging them down over his hips. He pulled the omega flush against him, lifting the smaller male up a little so that he was lined up properly.

This first time was going to be rather hasty. They were both falling deep into the rutting heat, too driven by their needs. Erwin had to lift his companion high enough that he had to tilt his head back to meet his eyes, due to their size difference. This forced Levi to let go of Erwin's cock, but the alpha didn't mind. He traced the waiting slit beneath Levi's groin, feeling the swelling around the edges of it that signified the omega's readiness. Levi trembled and made one of those cute, squeaking sounds like a dolphin when Erwin rubbed the sensitive entrance. It parted like a sea flower opening up, widening slightly under his touch, inviting more.

"Levi," Erwin intoned. He tilted his head back, staring up at the flushed face of his companion, the way his black hair caressed his forehead in the stir of current. "Kiss me."

Levi closed the distance between their lips, connecting them like he was starving for it. His tongue delved into Erwin's mouth, and his fingers dug into the alpha's shoulders. A little surprised by the assertive kiss, Erwin gave way and let the omega dominate it. He was about to enter Levi's body, after all. He could let him have dominion over his mouth.

Erwin played with Levi's vestibule for a bit, rubbing around the edges, stroking the slit, teasing it. Levi was shuddering in his arms, his tail flicking in agitation, unconsciously causing them to ascend a little bit. His tongue curled and flicked against Erwin's, his sharp canine and eye teeth scraping against the flesh enough to sting in his ardor.

Fighting an urge to bite on Levi's tongue in return, Erwin breached him with a finger, probing the muscled walls of the canal, testing its give and temperature. His finger glided with ease. Levi was producing generous amounts of slick. He was definitely ready for him, but Erwin took into consideration his size. Normally it wasn't necessary to stretch an omega for preparation when he was in heat, but Levi was so small, Erwin thought it better to be safe than sorry.

Levi broke the kiss and erupted into loud mersong when Erwin began to massage him inside. His head fell back, and his chest swelled as he dragged a breath in through his gills. He definitely liked it. That much was obvious. Erwin stared at the appealing nipples, so close to his face. Their color reminded him of light pink coral. Tight and erect in Levi's wanton state, Erwin couldn't resist their silent invitation. He playfully nudged the right one with the tip of his nose, and then he kissed the left one. Levi's body arched, his lower half rocking eagerly forward, drawing Erwin's finger in deeper.

Erwin gave rampant attention to Levi's nipples after that, licking, sucking, even pinching them ever so gently between his teeth. Once he thought it was safe to complete their union and end this gnawing drive he felt, Erwin took his fingers out of the omega, just to the tip, and then used his upturned palm to guide his length in.

The transition was evidently smooth enough to surprise Levi. He stopped arching his back, cupped the blond's face and stared down at him with wide eyes. This was the most open Levi had ever been with him. He was hiding nothing from Erwin now, his feelings nakedly displayed in his startled gaze.

"Er...win..."

There was some pain in Levi's call, but pleasure as well. It wouldn't transition completely to the latter until the union was complete, and Erwin didn't mean to prolong it. He cupped the omega's backside with his hands, pulling him into his slow thrust. His tail wrapped around Levi's instinctively, constricting enough to hold it still like a python catching its prey. That wasn't the point of the restraint, though. It was a biological impulse, a natural instinct to hold the omega still, as any squirming might cause more pain.

Now trapped in the alpha's embrace, Levi squeaked and whined. His fingers slipped through Erwin's hair and tightened, and he bowed over him. His body constricted and relaxed alternately around Erwin's cock, massaging it as it made its way deeper inside of him. Erwin rubbed Levi's back, fingers kneading along the sides of the dorsal fin that ran down Levi's spine from the small of his back to the end of his rump. It seemed to relax him a little, and Erwin was able to fill him completely without causing too much more pain.

"Oh Levi," exclaimed Erwin in a rush, knotting inside of him and locking them together.

The omega immediately climaxed from the union. His face went red and he strained in Erwin's arms, blurting his name and pressing his cheek against the blond's ear. That was how it happened with their kind. Mating in the water wasn't quite the same as doing it on land. There was very little thrusting involved, and merfolk were so sensitive in their natural forms that it wasn't required. Additionally, thrusting motions wouldn't make much sense when trying to conceive underwater. It would waste the alpha's seed.

"Easy," Erwin encouraged, his mersong tight with pleasure.

He pulled back a little, reaching up to stroke Levi's tide-swept bangs back so that he could get a clear view of his face. Levi stared back at him. The sharpness in the omega's gaze had dulled and softened. He looked relieved...contented. Their union had given him respite from the urgency, and his orgasm no doubt also helped. Levi's cock had softened, the essence he'd expelled from it floating away lazily.

The muscular sheath around Erwin's length pulsed and throbbed still, milking him. His tail constricted tighter around Levi's, his arms went around him and Erwin pressed his face against the smaller male's chest, shuddering. Levi rubbed his cheek against the alpha's head in a sweet, loving way. He was, Erwin decided, an utterly different merman when he opened himself up to someone.

They stayed like that for a while, drifting locked together beneath the waves. Kissing, touching, reaching gratification together again and again. Erwin had enough awareness of their surroundings to give a quick flick of his tail whenever they drifted too far toward the surface or the edge of the clearings. The waters began to darken as the light from the surface decreased. The sun was getting ready to set in the world above.

With the initial demands of mating satisfied, Erwin was finally able to un-knot from his partner. He kissed Levi one last time as he withdrew from him. He saw some of his essence escaping from Levi's lower slit, floating off as Levi's had during their encounter. That was all right; he'd come inside of him enough while knotted that it didn't matter if some of it got out. He fully intended to fill Levi with more, after a brief rest.

"Are you ready?" Erwin asked him.

Still dazed from their mating frenzy, Levi gave him a blank look. "Ready for what?"

Erwin looked to the rise to the west, nodding meaningfully at it. "To go to the surface and complete our pair-bond. You still want to, don't you?"

For a moment, he had the sinking feeling that Levi hadn't understood his intentions after all, and that he was going to reject him. Then Levi met his eyes after looking at the land rise himself, and he nodded. "Yes. I do."

A smile found its way onto Erwin's lips. He'd never felt so good about hearing the word "yes" from someone before.

* * *

It had been a while since Levi went to the surface. Now that his heat was temporarily sated, he was able to appreciate the array of colors in the sky, the bright yellows, oranges and reds of the sunset. The way the ocean reflected that light on the horizon was truly beautiful. Not many things could move Levi, but he made an internal vow to come to the surface more often to witness this time of day more often.

"Beautiful," remarked Erwin, as if picking up on Levi's thoughts.

Levi twisted a little to regard the big merman that he was leaning back against. They'd crawled onto the beach from the water together, and Erwin sat with his back propped against the trunk of a palm tree, his long, muscular tail curving around the pair in a half-circle. Levi's rested straight in front of him.

"Yeah, it's nice," he agreed, speaking a little haltingly. He hadn't used his land voice in some time, and it felt strange to breathe air again and use his second vocal chords.

They hadn't spoken before now since drawing their first breath out of the water. Erwin's human voice was much like his mersong; deep, resonant and full of masculine appeal. Very sensual. Levi stared at the bigger male's throat, watching the motion of his Adam's apple as Erwin swallowed. His gills had receded, leaving his skin smooth and free of any signs that they'd ever been there.

That was always the first thing to transition when their kind left the water, and it was the first when they returned to it. Being able to breathe was of course the most vital requirement for adaptation between aquatic and land environments. The ears generally changed shape next, losing their points and shrinking to round, human ears. The tails transformed to legs shortly after.

All and all, the transformation didn't take long, but some merfolk preferred not to shift completely into human form. Instead, they would lie in the surf on the beach, half in and half out of the water. This enabled them to sun themselves without losing their tails, which in turn allowed for a quick getaway in the water if any land danger approached. These "limbo" states were also necessary for pair-bonding, which Levi and Erwin would soon be doing.

"Do you come up here to watch the horizon a lot?" asked Levi, feeling a touch of nervousness return at the thought of how tonight was going to end.

"Yes," answered the blond, "but I wasn't talking about the horizon."

Levi blinked slowly at him, and he got dazzled by the mischievous, handsome smile Erwin favored him with. It reached his eyes, lighting them up to an azure color. Erwin's hair was drying, and he'd parted it to one side and combed through it with his fingers. The style looked really nice on him. Levi blushed with the understanding that he'd just been called beautiful.

"Tch. You're a little troublesome," Levi announced, speaking with more confidence now that he'd started getting used to it.

"I do have a boyish streak," admitted Erwin softly. He reached out to brush some of Levi's bangs away from his eyes, and then he cupped the omega's jaw and drew him closer for a kiss.

"We should get back to the shoreline," whispered Erwin after the kiss. "The sun has almost set. It's the perfect moment."

Levi nodded, and he swallowed. "Yeah. Let's do it."

* * *

The second mating was very different from the first one. Being on land, they had gravity to contend with, and it was awkward and uncomfortable for them both when they tried to do it with Erwin on top and Levi on the bottom.

"Hey," grunted Levi, at war between pain and pleasure. He slapped Erwin's chest. "You're crushing me, and I've got rocks and shells digging into my back. This...this isn't working."

Another wave rushed up to the shore, crashing over the two mermen's lower bodies. Erwin eased off of Levi, onto his left side. He sighed, his tail swishing in the wet sand and surf. He caressed the grimacing omega's body, his eyes thoughtful.

"I'm doing it wrong," Erwin announced.

"Obviously," agreed Levi. He too rolled onto his side, facing his companion. "But how are we _supposed_ to do it?"

"Not like this, apparently." Erwin frowned, and to Levi's bemusement, he seemed to blush the slightest bit. The blond's gaze lowered, golden lashes concealing the blue of his eyes. "I was trying to do it as if we were in human form. Clearly, our natural form isn't designed for that position. I thought that we could make it work, but since you can't...spread...ah..."

Levi pushed himself up with both hands into a half-sitting position. "You've fucked a human?"

"Not a human," clarified Erwin. "Another merman. While in human form."

"Oh." Levi bit back jealousy. It wasn't as though he'd had any claim on Erwin before now. "What was it like?"

"Different," answered Erwin, "but good. We aren't as sensitive in our land form as we are in our aquatic one. I also can't recover as fast, so while it lasts longer, we need rest afterwards."

Levi thought about his own anatomy when he dried off enough to complete the transition to human form. It didn't take a genius for him to come up with a conclusion. "You can't put it in the same place when you do it that way. The slit isn't there when we have legs."

"No," agreed Erwin. "It's not."

"So how do you do it?" Levi asked, puzzled. "Where do you put it?"

Erwin cleared his throat. "Think of the other orifice you have down there when in human form, Levi."

With comprehension came a sense of mingled horror and—Levi admitted—curiosity. "You mean the shit hole? Where the poop comes out? That's the only one I can think of."

The blond laughed then, and it was a deep, rich sound. "Yes, that's the one. I know it sounds strange, but it can be done and I've been assured that it feels as good as it does in our true form. Different, but good, as I said."

"You aren't worried about getting shit on your cock when you do it that way?"

Erwin flushed again, but he chuckled and shook his head. "If the other party relieves themselves beforehand, that isn't an issue. Don't worry, though; I'm not going to request that we change to our human form and do it that way. It wouldn't serve our purpose. We can't form the pair-bond without being properly joined in body while joining in spirit."

That reasoning eased Levi's concerns. It sounded unsanitary and disgusting to Levi, but a part of him did wonder what it would feel like. Or maybe that was his heat making him think that way. It was on the rise again, urging him to finish this coupling with Erwin and form the pair-bond, to claim his life mate.

Levi considered the way their bodies lined up. It had worked perfectly under the water. They needed to be partly on land to complete the bond, though. Levi wondered how in the hells other merfolk managed to do this.

"I have an idea," he said at last.

Erwin looked intrigued. "I'm listening."

* * *

Levi's idea worked. He reasoned that in the water, they'd been facing each other when they'd mated. Since they couldn't easily do it with one on top and the other on bottom, he deduced that they should try it on their sides. It took some finesse and it wasn't comfortable at first, but once they were knotted again, Erwin forgot all about the uneven jags of pebbles, rocks, shells and flotsam. He was again enchanted by the feel of his companion, and he wasted no time.

It wasn't a sight that any watching human would have found romantic. The two mermen drew blood from each other, biting and scratching, licking each other's wounds and crying out in unearthly voices. By the time it was over, both men lay exhausted, smeared with blood and semen. It took them a long time to recover, lying there beneath the moonlight with the sound of the waves in their ears.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, and Erwin was the first one to awake with the sunrise. It took him a moment to get his bearings. He was naked of course, and in full human form. He was spooned up against a small, warm body. Erwin blinked his eyes open and levered himself up on one elbow. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, took a deep breath and looked around.

That was right; he and Levi had crawled back up the beach the night before to sleep in the grass under the palm trees. They were mated for life, now. The lingering sting of the bites and scratches was a physical reminder of that, along with the more subtle spiritual link Erwin felt with his companion. He looked down at the omega snuggled up against him, curious to examine his human form now that the sun was rising.

Underwater, merfolk vision changed at night. The ocean had its own light sources when the light from above died with the sunset, but the luminance cast by certain plankton, plant life and currents wasn't much to see by. Once the sunlight was gone, merfolk adapted to see their way in the dark. This combined with sonar-like vocals allowed them to navigate their surroundings, as well as keep track of each other when traveling in groups.

In the daylight, Levi looked different and yet the same. Completely dry now, his ebony hair fluttered in the salty breeze. It was so shiny. Erwin ran his fingers through the longer part above the undercut, marveling at the softness of it. Levi was so fair complexioned, his skin milky and smooth, but for the abrasions Erwin had caused and a few faded scars. His body was built the same in human form as in merman form; rippling with lean muscle, powerful but small and sleek.

Erwin ran his hand over the slumbering omega's upper hip and thigh, then his leg. He liked the shape of Levi's human legs, he decided. Had he seen this male for the first time as a human rather than a merman, he would have found him no less attractive. What cute little toes Levi had, and what shapely, muscled legs. The omega's groin was soft and exposed, framed by a thatch of crisp, black hair.

"You're just as beautiful in this form," whispered Erwin decisively, smiling.

Levi stirred, woken by either the sound of the seagulls or Erwin's low declaration. He blinked his eyes open, lifted his head and looked around with disorientation. He turned his head to look up at Erwin. His face pinkened charmingly across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

"Hi."

Erwin's smile grew. "Hello, and good morning." He gave Levi a soft kiss. "Did you sleep well?"

"Aside from sand in some unpleasant places," confirmed Levi. He rolled onto his back, looking up at the alpha hovering over him. He studied Erwin as intently as the alpha was studying him, and his eyes fixated on Erwin's groin. "Damn. Seeing it all out in the open and completely exposed, you're even bigger than I thought."

Erwin shot a glance down his body, and he shrugged. While in aquatic form, only the penis got exposed during arousal unless one reached into the genital pouch to ease the testicles out. "No bigger than before, I assure you. You're just seeing more of it."

"What a set you've got," mused Levi. He cupped Erwin between the legs, fondling the sack under the shaft experimentally. "Shit."

The blond chuckled. "You talk like a sailor when you're on land. Where did you learn those profanities from, anyway?"

"From sailors," Levi answered dryly.

"You've interacted with humans?"

Levi sat up with a grunt, wiggled his toes and folded his legs so that his ankles were crossed over one another. He rested his hands on his knees, and he looked at the surf. "I've had my adventures. I was curious about them. Everyone always tells me how dangerous they are, so I ventured on land one day, stole some clothes and walked among them for a while."

Levi glanced back at Erwin, and he revised his words. "Well, not really _among_ them. I kept my distance and watched them. Learned a little about their customs, their food, their language. We might speak the same tongue on land as them, but their dialect is obviously more colorful."

"Agreed." Erwin nodded. "I've just never met a merman that used human profanities so freely and naturally before."

"What can I say? I find those words more...descriptive. More honest. Sometimes the situation deserves a swear word or two. It's kind of a release."

"I see."

Levi smirked at him. "No you don't. You don't understand, but that's okay. I've always deviated from the norm, and it's fine if our people think I'm strange."

"You aren't strange," objected the blond. He scooted closer to Levi, sitting up beside him. He stroked the hair away from Levi's nearest ear, tucking it back from the little shell of it. "You're unique. You uh...think outside the box, as the humans would say. Nothing wrong with that."

"If you say so." Levi relaxed, and he favored Erwin with a hint of a little smile. "And your opinion is really the only one that matters, now. I don't give a damn what anyone else thinks."

Warmed by the candid response, Erwin traced Levi's ear. "You know, you have the cutest little human ears. So perfectly curved and delicate, like a nautilus shell."

Levi slapped his hand away, blushing deeper. "Stop being so mushy."

"I'm not being 'mushy'," excused the alpha. "I'm paying you an honest compliment. Your ears really are cute, Levi."

"Whatever." Levi stretched, and then he used the trunk of one of the smaller palm trees to pull himself to his feet. He wobbled, his cute little toes digging into the sandy grass for purchase. "Nnh...it's been a while since I've actually walked on legs."

Erwin also got up, and he had an easier time of it. He put an arm around Levi to steady him. "Want to explore the island some more? There's a fresh water spring in that small forest behind us. I'm starting to feel thirsty. We could drink from it...maybe scavenge something to eat."

Levi nodded, and his stomach rumbled loudly. "Yeah, let's have a look around. I want to use the legs a little while I have them."

* * *

Levi felt different now. He could sense Erwin's feelings as if they were partly his own, for one thing. For another, there was a sort of contentedness in him now, a feeling of calm and security that he hadn't felt in a long while. He gradually adjusted to walking again as he and his mate explored the little island, and he drank thirstily from the fresh water spring Erwin guided him to. It wouldn't last; merfolk couldn't stay out of the water for very long before they started drying up. Their landwalking bodies dehydrated at an accelerated rate to that of humans. Drinking water helped prolong their time on land, but it was just temporary.

Erwin managed to knock a coconut out of a tree, and with a bit of effort, they cracked it open on a sharp rock. Both of them had left their spears behind in the ocean, so caught up in the mating frenzy they hadn't thought to bring them with. The rock worked well enough, and they ate the meat from the coconut to stave off their hunger. They would need more than that, especially after bonding. The act and the constant mating during it had drained a lot of their energy.

After having their coconut snack, the two mermen lay in the grass by the freshwater pool together, enjoying their private time on the surface while they could. Levi huffed when he felt Erwin's groin stirring against his belly. Now that the cravings of heat had been satisfied, he felt no pressing need for sex. Not that he wouldn't get frisky later, but he needed a breather.

"Don't get any ideas," warned the omega sleepily, lifting his head from Erwin's chest to look him in the eye. "I'm not ready to try this ass mating thing you say we can do in this form, and I need a rest after yesterday."

"I didn't consciously put myself in this state, you know." Erwin nuzzled Levi's hair. "Mmm, so soft. Don't worry; I'm not expecting you to mate with me each time I get excited. Just accept the fact that you excite me. No need to feel pressured."

"Good." Levi peeked down at the growing, hardening length of Erwin's cock, and he bit his lip. He supposed he could pleasure it without putting it inside of him. Foreplay wasn't a foreign concept to his kind. He started to reach down and act on that thought when Erwin suddenly tensed and sat up, practically knocking Levi off of him.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"Shh," cautioned Erwin. He was scanning their surrounding with sharp blue eyes, and he sniffed the air. "Did you hear that? Do you smell it?"

Puzzled, Levi took a whiff. "All I can smell is grass and earth, what are you—"

Then he heard the bell. The sound came from somewhere far in the distance, yet close enough to be detected. Levi knew that sound; he'd heard it before at the wharf, the last time he'd paid a visit to human civilization.

"A ship," guessed Levi softly.

Erwin nodded. "Yes. Let's have a look. They could just be passing by."

The couple got up and made their way through the vegetation to the edge of the small palm forest. When they peered through the trunks and plant life, they saw three skiffs beached on the shore, and there were about twelve human men securing them. Off in the distance in the water was a larger vessel; a big ship that Levi identified from memory as a galleon. It had black flags hoisted, and there was little doubt in his mind of what kind of men these were.

"Shit. Pirates."

"Pirates?" repeated Erwin, apparently unfamiliar with the term.

"Human outlaws, basically," explained Levi in a hushed voice. "They sail the seas, going after other ships and stealing from them. We'd better get moving."

"Maybe they won't come this far into the island," theorized Erwin. "Even if they do and they spot us, we're in our human form, naked and unarmed. What possible threat could they see in us?"

Levi looked at his taller companion, faintly amazed by Erwin's naivety. Perhaps the blond spent more time on land than Levi, but he'd clearly not spent much time around human beings. "Yeah," said Levi in a whisper, "two naked men, alone and unarmed. They won't see us as a threat. You're right about that. They'll see us as an opportunity."

"For what?"

Levi groaned softly. "Humans make slaves of each other all the time, Erwin. Pirates are especially into the flesh trade. It's a lucrative business for them, so let's not offer ourselves up as a prize. Now get moving, you big, ignorant fool. We've got to stay out of sight."

The barb struck home, and Levi felt his mate's wounded feelings as if they were his own. He took the bigger man's hand in his, and he offered something rare for him: an apology.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I don't really think you're a fool and I shouldn't have said that. I just know a few things about humans that you apparently don't."

It was then that Levi discovered how forgiving and stoic Erwin could really be. The blond gave him a soft smile, and the hurt in his eyes dissolved. "I think in this matter," whispered Erwin, "you're clearly the more experienced of the two of us when it comes to human behavior. Let's go, Levi."

The pair retreated from the edge of the forest and headed in the opposite direction from the humans. Levi grabbed Erwin's arm when they made it to the other side of the forest, where they'd both hoped to take their leave of the island and get back into the water before the pirates knew they were there.

"Wait," warned Levi in a hiss, "I hear voices from this direction, too."

Erwin stopped and cocked his head. He looked at Levi, nodded and crept up to a big tropical frond plant. He pushed the fronds aside carefully and peeked through to the southern beach.

"There are more there," he whispered to Levi. "We can't exit this way."

Levi looked around, thinking quickly. They couldn't make a dash for it out in the open without risking being seen and chased. On land, he and Erwin didn't stand a chance of outrunning enemies that had been using their legs their entire lives. Neither of them had spent enough time on land to exercise their legs and gain the muscle memory to be quick sprinters.

"The water," Levi whispered, nudging his companion. Merfolk could transform in fresh water, but it was a voluntary choice rather than natural compulsion. Breathing fresh water for too long would make them ill, but they _could_ do it.

"We can't make it to the water," Erwin whispered back, still peering through the fronds.

"No, I mean the pool we drank from." Levi nudged Erwin again, and he nodded toward the spring in the center of the forest. "We can hide in there until they've gone. They have to be here for a reason, right? I doubt they'll take up camp on this island. Maybe they're just getting supplies."

"Like fresh water?" Erwin raised a brow.

"Yeah, like...shit. Fuck."

Like fresh water. That made perfect sense. Humans couldn't drink sea water, and they could only go for so long on their ships before fresh water supplies ran out. He could just picture himself or Erwin getting hauled up in a bucket as a bonus.

"We have no choice," Erwin decided. "At least in the pool, we can avoid them. I doubt they intend to dive in to collect the water anyway."

Levi nodded. They hadn't investigated the depths of the pool yet, either. Perhaps there was a small cave or deeper recess beneath the water that they could curl up in until the threat was gone. "Let's go."

The voices of the humans and the ruckus they produced was getting closer. There was no time to waste. The two mermen stumbled together for the pool, tripping here and there on vegetation as their unfamiliar biped parts got caught on roots, tangled in long grass and in Levi's case, stubbed on a rock.

"Fuck, toes hurt!"

"Levi, shhh!"

Erwin clamped a hand over the smaller male's mouth before Levi could fully cut loose with the string of expletives he'd learned from his time observing humans. They both heard an exclamation from the eastern edge of the forest, followed by a question. The underbrush started to part. They'd been heard.

Levi found himself suddenly lifted and tossed into the warm spring water pool, and he choked in surprise. Before he could recover from his surprise, Erwin's big, naked form dove in with him.

"Change, Levi!" Erwin urged in a harsh rasp.

Recovering from his initial shock over being rudely hurled that way, Levi did as his mate advised. He dove beneath the surface, concentrated and soon felt his gills splitting on each side of his neck. He took his first breath of the fresh water carefully, aware that it would be harder for his body to process, full of micro-organisms that weren't found in salt water. He imagined it was like taking the first breath in a smoky tavern after being outside. He coughed on the first drawl, and he saw Erwin do the same.

Neither of them fully changed their forms. They instead became a sort of hybrid version of themselves, something between human and merman. Webbing grew between their fingers and toes, and some flat teeth sharpened to points. They both could have forced a complete transformation, but neither of them wanted to expend that much energy in case they had to fight or flee.

The couple looked around at their surroundings, testing the depth of the pool, diameter of it and all the nooks and crannies. Unfortunately in this hybrid form, they could neither speak or use mersong to communicate. Erwin pulled Levi's hand to get his attention, and he pointed at a crack he'd found in the eastern floor of the pool. Levi swam closer to examine it, and he could feel the flow coming from it. So, this was what fed the fresh water. Some underground reservoir, possibly connecting to a system that spanned far beneath even the ocean floor and let out somewhere at the nearest bigger landmass.

Neither of them could squeeze through a crack that size to explore it further, though. Levi shrugged, patted his mate on the shoulder and looked around some more. He stopped short upon swimming to the very center of their temporary hideout, and he saw something that immediately caught his interest. It was vaguely boxed shaped, with a rounded top. There was a dull glimmer here and there where the sparse light from above hit it.

Levi swam over to the object, wondering at first if he'd found an underwater mineral outcropping that was just oddly shaped. Upon closer inspection, however, he understood. Now he thought he knew what the pirates were on this island for.

"Erwin," Levi tried to call, but his voice came out as a bubbly gurgle. Exasperated, Levi swam over to his mate—who was apparently trying to widen a hole he'd found in the side of the pool wall. Levi poked him sharply in the back, giving the blond a start. When Erwin twisted to look at him, Levi pointed at the thing he'd discovered. Erwin glanced at it, frowned and shook his head. Maybe he thought Levi was suggesting they could hide in it.

Bubbles escaped Levi's gills and floated up around him as he sighed. He nudged Erwin, pointed at the object again and then clasped his own hands together. He opened them like a clam shell, then closed them again.

"It's a chest," he mouthed.

"Bwwuub?" came the incoherent response, drowned out by the water.

Levi tried to think of a way to explain, but then something plunged into the water from above them. Levi and Erwin separated, backing away instinctively as a large, heavy object spiraled down through the water between them. It hit the floor of the pool and stirred up a cloud of silt and sand.

After his initial reaction faded, Levi studied it from a safe distance. Erwin was on the other side of the pool, also watching it with wary, narrowed eyes. It looked like a big iron hook, and it was attached to a link of thick chain. It began to drag along the floor of the pool, back and forth and round in circles. Like it was searching for something blindly.

...Or trying to fish something up.

Levi fixated his gaze on the chest in the center of the pool. He then realized that what he'd at first mistaken for a vine of some kind of plant that had attached itself to the chest was actually a man-made handle. Like the loops people put on their baskets, or those reticules human women always had draped on their arms.

Handles were for carrying things...or to make them easier to lift. Merfolk even used handles in their day-to-day lives. Personal sacks woven from hearty, stretchy plant fibers were a common and practical thing to see his kind carrying with them; usually secured to a belt or spear harness. They were used for everything from gathering food, collecting shiny sea stones for trade, holding personal items like bone combs or even trade purchases at the market.

Erwin seemed to get it at the same moment as Levi, and to the omega's consternation, his new mate swam over to the ponderously dragging hook. Levi wanted to shout at him, tell him to get away from the thing and ask just what in the hell he thought he was doing. Then Erwin looked at him, looked at the chest, looked up at the surface and then looked at the thing dragging around the floor of the pool.

Levi could see Erwin's plan as if the alpha had spoken it into his ear. He got it. The humans were trying to "catch" this chest with their big hook, and they wouldn't leave until they got it. Levi and Erwin couldn't stay down here for a prolonged time; it would slowly poison them. His gills were already struggling to filter out the impurities of this water to provide his body with the oxygen it needed. It was heavy to breathe in, but it would become more difficult the longer they remained. Breathing open air on land was preferable to it in fact, but either way, he and Erwin needed to get back to the ocean...back to their natural environment before they either dried up or suffocated.

_~If you're going to do this, let me help you.~_

Levi thought it in his head as he swam towards the hook creation that Erwin had now grabbed by the length that was connected to the chain. Somehow, the blond seemed to have heard him. Erwin looked at him, appearing a little startled. Then he nodded and made room for the smaller merman.

There was no time to question it. Levi put his smaller hands around the rough metal base of the hook, positioning them beneath Erwin's. He acted as the guide while Erwin used his strength to lift. Together, they eased the object over to the chest it was seeking out. They waited until the chain pulled taut, and they guided the hooked part of the metal under the "handle" on top of the chest. The hook raised, stopped when it encountered resistance, and then shuddered a bit as if under strain. The chains connected to it shook a little, and the chest started to lift, pulled up by the hook.

There was another pause, and muffled shouting from above the surface. Levi and Erwin looked up and listened, both of them curious about what was going on up there and how the humans had deployed the giant hook. The surface rippled, and there was a groaning sound that Levi associated with straining wood constructs. The rattling and shouting went on as the chest lifted inch by inch from its nest on the floor of the pool.

Levi and Erwin met each other's eyes again, and they both got the same idea. The took either side of the large chest in their hands and together, they helped the object's ascension. They only assisted until it was a little over halfway up; where the water became less murky. Helping the progress any further would put them too close to the surface, and they might be seen by the pirates.

The two mermen retreated back to the bottom of the pool, sticking close together as they watched the remaining progress. Finally, the chest vanished from underwater sight. The pirates had their prize. Now all that the couple could do was wait.

* * *

After some time, Erwin dared to swim up to the surface, despite Levi's gestures warning him not to. He wanted to see what the humans had in that chest and how they'd gotten it out of the water. He broke the surface quietly, coming up under and overhang of earth and rock so that he wasn't completely exposed to sight. A quick look around confirmed that none of the pirates were immediately nearby, so he risked swimming out from under the overhang, and he went to the edge of the pool. Very carefully, he grabbed hold of a tree root sticking out from the edge and he used it to boost himself up a little. He could just see over spring's edge. The group of pirates—ten in all, he counted—were a few feet away in the grass.

Erwin narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, taking in the scene. The men were loading the chest from a crate they'd brought with them. Glittering trinkets, heavy purses, pearls strung together and a couple of bottles soon joined the other riches inside the dripping, opened chest. What puzzled Erwin the most was the contraption of wood and metal bolts he saw looming over the edge of the pool. It looked like one of the structures he'd seen on passing ships; man-made from cut and shaped tree material. The hook dangled from the "arm" of the wheeled device, suspended over the chest that the men were loading with goods.

Levi surfaced behind him, and he used Erwin's shoulders to lift up and have a peek for himself.

"Some sort of pulley," Levi whispered into Erwin's ear. "You see that crank on the side? That's what they used to operate it. It's a human invention that lets them hoist big things they can't pick up on their own. I've seen them all over the wharfs where they keep their ships. They use them to load and unload huge nets of supplies. Fish, ammunition, even cannons. I get it now. They must have brought it when them on a larger boat we didn't see. That's how they got their chest out."

"Hmm. I'll be damned," murmured Erwin.

"Oi, anybody hear that?"

The two mermen froze as one of the pirates hunkering over the chest stopped what he was doing after voicing the question, looking around suspiciously. Evidently, Erwin's voice carried more than Levi's. The pirate rose to his feet and started turning to face the pool.

Erwin and Levi quickly ducked back under the water. Erwin squeezed his mate's hand and pointed down. Levi nodded. They both swam back to the bottom and pressed tightly up against the rocky wall of the pool, bracing for discovery and a struggle. Erwin didn't know if the humans possessed any means of breathing safely underwater, or if any of them could even swim. He knew some humans couldn't, but that didn't mean none of these pirates could.

The minutes ticked by while he and Levi listened to the muted voices above the water. He couldn't make out what the men were saying to each other. None of the pirates came into the water to investigate. It seemed they'd excused the sound they'd heard on local wildlife, and after some time the chest came back down, lowered to its previous location by the pulley device.

Levi pressed closer to Erwin, and he pointed at the chest while regarding the blond with one thin brow raised. There was a smirk on his lips. Erwin smirked back, understanding the gist of it. Those humans had tried so carefully to hide their treasure from others, completely unaware that they had two witnesses to the entire, strange operation. It was amusing, at least.

Personally, Erwin didn't fully understand the importance of the chest. He hadn't spent nearly as much time in the company of human beings to comprehend what made these pirates so determined to store things they obviously never intended to use. Merfolk had their own personal affects and treasures, sure...but those were _personal_. The community shared with each other, and anything that wasn't for trade or sharing wasn't advertised as such. No merman or mermaid would ever think of taking another's belongings without being offered first, and so the concept of theft was quite foreign to Erwin. His people didn't need to hide things from one another, as humans apparently did.

* * *

Levi and Erwin resurfaced once they were sure the coast was clear. They climbed out of the freshwater pool together and checked to be certain the humans were gone before coming out of the forest. Off in the distance, they could see the galleon sailing away.

"We've lingered here too long," said Erwin, coughing a little.

Levi nodded in agreement. They were both recovering from their exposure to the fresh water, their bodies detoxifying. The skin on his hands was starting to peel, and his lips felt chapped. He was powerfully thirsty, but he knew that drinking more water wouldn't help at this point. He and Erwin both needed to get back to the ocean.

"Let's get going then," suggested Levi. "The sun will be setting soon, and I don't want to swim back home in the dark."

Erwin put an arm around him, and together they walked toward the surf. The blond paused just as they were about to step into the water, and he looked back at the direction they'd come from with a thoughtful frown.

"What is it?" Levi asked him. They hadn't brought anything with them to the island, so he knew Erwin couldn't have left anything behind.

"I was just wondering what it would be like to live in the human world. Not just to visit, but to actually live amongst them for a while. Never mind me; I'm just thinking out loud. I know it's a foolish, impossible fancy."

"I wouldn't say 'impossible'," corrected Levi with a shrug. "I know someone that's done it. As far as I know, she's _still_ doing it and she hasn't been found out yet."

"Oh?" Erwin raised an intrigued brow, looking at the omega. "Who is this friend of yours?"

"Just some crazy beta fish that considers herself a 'human biologist'." Levi shrugged again. "I ran into her the last time I was in human territory. Didn't realize she was one of us until she dragged me out of the street and warned me that I was acting too strange and might give myself away. She took me to her flat and explained she'd been living on land for five years, studying humans and their ways. I guess she adapted to it after a while, because she said she could go a week before she started drying out and needed a swim in the ocean."

"How interesting," mused Erwin. "So it's possible for our kind to stay on land for a prolonged period, given enough time to adjust."

"If she's to be believed." Levi peered out at the water. The sun was beginning its descent. "Personally, I think she's a little cracked. Too much time amongst humans, I guess."

"It does sound like a risky lifestyle. Getting splashed with salt water in public would be all it takes to expose her for what she is."

"Not according to her," explained Levi. "She claimed to have mastered her own biology. She could go swimming at the pier and never change her form unless she wanted to. Again, that's _if_ she's to be believed. I never saw her prove her claim."

"I don't think it's beyond possibility," contemplated Erwin. "We can control what form we take in fresh water, after all. Who's to day that with enough discipline and practice, we can't do the same in salt water? It's natural for our bodies to assume our true form in the environment we belong in, but that doesn't mean it has to be compulsory."

"Maybe not," allowed Levi, not particularly convinced. "I didn't ask her how she figured out the secret, because I didn't fully believe her."

He looked at his mate curiously, sensing Erwin's heavy thoughts. "What's on your mind?"

"It must be a fascinating life to lead," Erwin murmured. "Learning their culture, seeing things that you would never see in the ocean."

"Are you saying you want to live like a human?" Levi raised a brow.

Erwin met his eyes. "You don't think it's an intriguing idea? Think of all the things you could discover. Places, animals and customs. I think it would be an adventure to live in their world for a while."

"I think maybe you dream too big," Levi told him bluntly. "In order to blend in with humans, you have to act like them. You have to watch how you move, how you speak, how you eat. When it comes to things they don't understand, humans can be a cowardly lot. I heard they even burn each other alive as 'witches' if someone doesn't fit in well enough."

"And we cast out merfolk that don't fit in with our society," Erwin pointed out. "We aren't exactly paragons of enlightenment and understanding, Levi."

"True, but at least we don't kill our own kind. Anyway, it would take some planning and preparation to go in this 'adventure' of yours. You've got responsibilities as the commander of our warriors."

"True," agreed Erwin. His blue gaze roved over Levi's form admiringly. "I may soon have even more responsibilities, now that you mention it. You may be carrying new life as we speak."

Levi touched his abdomen subconsciously, reminded that they'd spent the better part of the day and night before mating while he was in heat. Yes, there was a distinct possibility that their union would result in pregnancy. Then again, maybe not. Merfolk tended not to reproduce that quickly, especially when the population in their community was high. That was another thing that set them apart from humans; they didn't over-breed.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," advised Levi. "It could take several tries. Not all omegas get pregnant the first time they have sex while in a heat. If they did, we'd have a pod full of bloated omegas every autumn. The spring mating frenzy would see to that."

"Agreed, but there's still a chance you could be with child. I should keep my head focused on the now, rather than daydreaming about adventures." Erwin took Levi's hand. "You are my priority now, regardless of whether we conceived or not."

Levi flushed with quiet pleasure over the vow. He'd never had anyone pledge themselves to him, and he knew that Erwin was being one hundred percent earnest with him. The blond alpha wasn't the sort of person to make such vows lightly.

"Let's go home," Levi said, unable to think of something romantic to say back to his mate.

Erwin nodded. "Right. Let's go."

Hand in hand, they stepped into the surf. Levi's skin immediately began to tingle, roughening to scales on his feet and legs. He waded in deeper with his companion, and just as the water reached their chests, Erwin stopped again and looked back.

"I'm going to remember that chest," announced the blond.

Levi frowned in puzzlement, thinking that was a peculiar thing to say. He didn't question Erwin's strange interest in something that was essentially filled with junk that they had no use for in their world. The pearls Levi had seen were the only thing of value to merfolk. Perhaps that was what Erwin had in mind, for trading purposes.

Shrugging it off, Levi released Erwin's hand and submerged into the water. Erwin followed, and soon the only thing to be seen of the couple was a pair of caudal fins breaking the surface briefly. The two mermen vanished from sight, leaving no trace of themselves behind except for some footprints in the sand.

* * *

-The End


End file.
